Obama Apologizes for Praising AG's Looks

He calls California attorney general Kamala Harris to say sorry

(Newser)
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President Obama caused such a ruckus by praising the looks of California attorney general Kamala Harris that he called her last night to apologize "for creating this distraction," an aide tells USA Today. During a fundraiser in the state yesterday, the president called attention to Harris in the audience, describing her as "by far, the best-looking attorney general in the country." As the crowd responded, he added, "It's true!"

That set off all kinds of criticism today that the president was being sexist. Was he? At Daily Intel, Dan Amira rounds up example after example of Obama referring to "good-looking" people in his audiences, usually men. Obama "is an equal-opportunity flatterer, not a shallow, sexist pig," writes Amira, adding that the flattery is "almost a tic at this point." Still, the president should know better—"the rules are not the same for how we talk about men and women," and he does his female friends no favors when he forgets that. Click for the full post.

In this February 2012 file photo, President Obama walks with California Attorney General Kamala Harris and California Lt. Gov. Gavin Newsom, after arriving at San Francisco International Airport.
(AP Photo/Eric Risberg, File)

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